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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| a few questions rolled into 1 post
So I bought a new tank used... they didnt know if it was 55 or 75 gallon... it did turn out to be a very nice 55 gallon.... and for $65 I was happy... it has come with lights, filters, fish (that I need to find out what they are, he couldnt remember)... lots of bits and bobs food, chemicals, water test kit... extra lights and 2 additional top fin filters...
Now the filter it came that he was using and I have plugged in as it has all the bacteria in the filter is a Rena Filstar XP3, he also gave me a ton of replacements foam pieces, which I did have to change the first liner as it was so full of debris the filter wouldnt work properly..
He emptied the tank to bring the fish.... 3 died on the way..... 
he drained the tank for the trip didnt even leave a dribble of water in there, so I completely filled it up and took the readings... it was: ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 40
the nitrates were at 40 even after I filled the tank 100%... shall I do a water change tomorrow to reduce the nitrates...  ?
How about that Rena filter is it OK or do I have to buy another one...
Also I will post pics of the fish, if anyone can help me identify them Id be appreciative... | 
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| I'll happily ID them for you! Just need pics.
Sounds like you picked up an OK filter. You might want to overfilter it - but it's your choice! | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| I would suggest that you do daily water changes.Take readings every day. | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
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Last edited by Angelika; July 18th, 2008 at 12:36 PM.
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| You have:
A common pleco
Several cichlids (I can't tell what type - I'm no cichlid guru!)
A chinese algae eater
All worthy of taking back to the shop if you want to commence with your plan. | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| That chinese algae eater is that the one that will suck the slime off my angel while it sleeps that I read some place? That pleco is huge and I am not liking him too much... hes harmless but so darn big... yeah I know the others are cichlids, but Im wondering if the others (the yellow and blue ones) would be OK with my angel ... I know the brutes are Jack Dempseys ... they fought over a large chuck of bloodworms....
Last edited by Angelika; July 18th, 2008 at 03:17 AM.
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| If I could, I would happily take those bruts off your hands, they are beutifull!!  | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Moderator
| Hi Angelika,
Wow, nice deal!
Do water changes to reduce the nitrates. Have you tested your tap water for them?
Post a pic, i'd love to see it. | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Im thinking in your first & 3rd pic, it looks like a juvie jack dempsey..and your second pic, looks closely like a convict its hard to tell exactly with the flash in the pic also... | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| The aquascape is not too pretty per se.... I should of said that I did test my tap water the other week and it has zero nitrates...
The 1st and 3rd are def Jacks...
Now its the blue, yellow and last fish I dont know.... and then the blue /black fish with the black tail I am trying to figure out.
Charmaine if you lived here you could of happily come and got them  | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelika  The aquascape is not too pretty per se.... I should of said that I did test my tap water the other week and it has zero nitrates... | Than a water change is all you need, your good to go! | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| I saw a similar cichlid (It's deffinatly a cichlid) in the african cichlid section of a book. Unfortunately, it was not named! However, I think you should take him back as well as he is an african cichlid for deffinate. | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| Hatchet take him back where? I bought that tank used and the fish came with it, and I told him that I wouldnt probably keep the fish, but it was a complete package. | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelika Hatchet take him back where? I bought that tank used and the fish came with it, and I told him that I wouldnt probably keep the fish, but it was a complete package. | The LFS. | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelika Hatchet take him back where? I bought that tank used and the fish came with it, and I told him that I wouldnt probably keep the fish, but it was a complete package. | Do you have a good LFS around? they will gladly take them for free most of the time...just not always pay you for them | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| 2 8 and 9 are convicts...although 8's tail is a bit ragged but he could be a male convict...because 9 is definately a female convict | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| I thought they were convicts... and I have figured out that I have a couple of zebra cichlids too...
so... the next big question is...
what can I keep so I can put my Angel in there......?
I have then..
2 zebra cichlids ( by looking at pics I have detrmined this)
2 jack dempseys
3 or 4 convicts
2 # 7's so far unknowns - they snuggle in with the pleco
large pleco that is in his cave most of the time
chinese algae eater
Last edited by Angelika; July 18th, 2008 at 03:55 PM.
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| your tank is great, for just the cichlids themselves and no angels...and not sure on the unknowns, but IMO id return the convicts, and zebra's and maybe the unknowns depending on what they are...my dempseys would be fine with angels...but watch yours for a few days and learn their personalities to see what you can determine...a mating pair of convicts will take on a fish 5x their size so if you have a male in the mix, fry will be a deffinate as they are very easy to breed ... | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| how can I tell a male? | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| see in pic 9 her red/orange on her belly? a male wont have that  | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| ahhhhhhhhhh LOL! you see all the good information that I learn on here.... .thankyou so much! | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| your welcome..do you have m/f ? | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| I def have male and female convicts then.... the smaller one has the orange reddish tone on her belly
Last edited by Angelika; July 18th, 2008 at 08:29 PM.
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| that im unsure of...cause ive never seen a tail like that...when you look at the rest of their bodies, do they look the same? convicts change tons of colors when stressed..aka the travel...mine even got almost white one time from switching tanks...so hmmm not sure on the ratted tail one but im thinking yes it is and something just happened to the tail... | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| yes they look the same, exact same face..... the one with the ratty tail is always chasing and being chased by what looks like a little aggressive yellow stripey zebra.... and I have 3 of them..... | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| you keep watching them all and you wont be able to get rid of them LOL
ever find out the yellow zebra stripey fellas are? | |
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July 18th, 2008
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| | Fish Helper
| I know... haha ....
the ratty tail guy looks exactly like this http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles...lid/100127.asp
other than he has black fins and his tail is feathered... but the rest of the body and face look like this, and the female one looks like this too, but has a orange tinge on her belly..
the yellow and blue zebras look like these: http://tropicalfishgallery.com/speci...ids/Zebra.html
the pics: 3 &5 look like one of mine... and this one is the one that chases Mr ratty tail.
then pics: 7 and 10 look like the others... I have one blue and one yellow that look like 7 & 10. | |
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July 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| I have recently bought a pair of marble angels, they are juvies, and they get along fine in my 65G with my pair of convicts and my pair of opaline gouramis . | |
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August 7th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| All of the cichlids will have to go if you want angels, the cichlids will kill them as angels are very peaceful and almost all cichlids are VERY aggressive except within their own species, and they will even kill each other if there is insufficient hiding areas or "territories" for them to set up. Also the fish that you have prefer hard alkaline water with a pH close to 8 while Angels prefer softer acidic water with a ph around 6.5 to 7 so that raises even more issues other than compatibility with the fish | |
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